A press release from the Washington, DC, chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans has heralded the news that the DC Republican Committee is adopting gay-inclusive language in its platform, making it the first regional GOP party to do so.

“We, the Republicans of the District of Columbia support the belief that all individuals, without regard to sexual orientation, are entitled to full and equal protection under the laws and the Constitution and that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.”

It’s a somewhat vague statement (not surprisingly) and local Log Cabin president Robert Turner II admitted it wasn’t “the exact wording we had hoped for.” Turner said he had wanted more specific language singling out the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members of the community, rather than sexual orientation. But he explained, “we are excited to be a part of a state party who understands that inclusion wins. Marriage equality is settled law here in the District—all citizens, including LGBT citizens should be treated equally.”

According to the Advocate, it’s unclear how the national Republican Party will react to the news. “I don’t even know that they are aware of it yet,” he said.

The DC GOP used to have two members on the city council (DC’s equivilant to another state’s Statehouse.)

One was gay, and the GOP made it clear he wasn’t welcome, so he broke from the GOP, ran as an independent and won. The other was a woman who voted on ONE issue in a way that the party didn’t like,AND was very pro-gay and so the party ran somebody more conservative against her…defeated her, and then the new GOP candidate was defeated by a democrat.

So the party used to have two voting members on the council and because of their anti-gay actions they now have zero.

Sounds like somebody there may have learned their lesson.

Jul 2, 2012 at 12:47 pm · @Reply ·

bystander

Well good for them, but in a city were everyone is so overwhelmingly democratic they’d rather vote for a crack addict then a republican i kind of doubt it’ll put anymore republicans in office.

Jul 2, 2012 at 2:59 pm · @Reply ·

Kurt

Sweetheart, I know the DC Gay Republicans. And contrary to the pic you have, there is not a one of them ever found wearing work gloves and pushing a shovel. Those girls hire people to do that while they are at the Burning Tree Country Club playing golf.

”
Well good for them, but in a city were everyone is so overwhelmingly democratic they’d rather vote for a crack addict then a republican i kind of doubt it’ll put anymore republicans in office.”
_____________

Actually, they used to have two republicans on the council, but they were both pro-gay and the party drove them away. They lost those seats because of the party stance on gays etc…

Jul 2, 2012 at 4:02 pm · @Reply ·

GOProudest

The times they are changing!

Before you know it it will be considered bigotry to trash a gay person for being a Republican

150 Mormons quit the Church in a mass resignation ceremony. The climbed up onto a mountain top and claimed a “Declaration of Independence from Mormonism” with the reasons ranging from the church’s controversy over political activism against gay marriage and doctrinal teachings that conflict with scientific findings or are perceived as racist or sexist.

Wow! two pieces of good news in one day, Cooper coming out and young Mormons are waking up and leaving the spurious cult that has no historical, archeological base. The elders were so foolish to get involved in politics. Many more will leave and the world will be a better place because of it. The Republicans will learn this hard lesson soon. Women do not forget being politically attacked by the Republicans very easily and LGBT will never forget the blatant bigotry and oppression and NOM pledges and John latent Boehner and all the rest of the closeted creeps in that party for years and years and years to come (Thanks to the internet, their words are merely a click away) Here’s the article.

I think it’s very clear: They are pandering for votes, not trying to do the right thing. They want power, and they think this PR is a way to gain votes and power. If they really wanted to do the right thing , and to be inclusive, they could have done so before they ejected several gay candidates from their party.

Even if the entire national Republican party were to do a complete about-face and start supporting equal rights for gay people as the number-one plank in their national platform,
it would take at least 20 years before I could begin to trust any of them about that issue. They would have to actually pass laws, consistently, for 20+ years, to undo the harm that they have worked for 30 years to do.

Jul 2, 2012 at 7:30 pm · @Reply ·

Kevin

@Selrah: I’m going to go out on a limb and say that everything any party does is an attempt to appeal to voters. Individual politicians MAY vote on conscience, but parties are nothing more than vote-gathering machines. And really, what else should they be? The point of democracy is to give the voters what they want, after all. It’s up to the courts to go against that will, should it be necessary.

Jul 2, 2012 at 7:38 pm · @Reply ·

J Ascher

Apparently, the GOP needed someone to scoop the poop so the GOProud/Log Cabin crowd volunteered!

@GOProudest: While to be fair the dem’s have started selling the american people out to a lesser degree also, I just don’t hate my self enough to think about having anything to do with the rethug party as it now stands.

“Before you know it it will be considered bigotry to trash a gay person for being a Republican”
_______________-

Look, I get it, you want to be different and you have anchored your self esteem to your side in the partisan debate.

However, trying to play the victim when the GOP nominee for president has not only gone before Congress to demand an amendment to the U.S. constitution banning gay marriage but stated he would have vetoed the DADT repeal is a laughable attempt at deflection.

If I support a radical cleric in Saudi Arabia who believes that women should not have rights and live lives of servitude, then I am in effect attacking women.

You are supporting a party that has stated flat out that they are opposed to gay rights. You are attacking gays and yet you cry and complain that people pointing this out to you is “Trashing” you.

And here is a challenge for you, rather than attacking me, calling me names, etc… if you believe I am wrong, please detail for me exactly how what I said is incorrect.

Jul 2, 2012 at 11:28 pm · @Reply ·

Alex

I-is this the twilight zone or have I stumbled into bizzaro world?

Jul 2, 2012 at 11:33 pm · @Reply ·

GOProudest

@doug105: I vote for GOP because I love myself. I just cannot identify with all the victimhood and whining of the Left in general and the Gay Left specifically. They are so pathetic it is not even funny.

@Cam: Well I am glad to see you are trying to reason intelligently unlike the rest of wankers here.

First of all, us LGBT Republicans believe economic issues / free enterprise are more important than social issues. Personally, while I favor marriage equality I just don’t care about getting some BS certificate from the government, it is really not a big deal. My self-esteem is not tied to approval by politicians or bureaucrats. I believe people who think this is the most important issue have nothing meaningful to do with their lives.

Now as far as winning LGBT equal rights, sorry to prick your bubble but you won’t get far without winning enough GOP to your side. America is a center-right country and plenty of Democrats vote consistently against gays. DADT and NY gay marriage only passed because of GOP votes. It is just plain stupid to make Civil Rights a partisan issue. You want marriage equality? Support your friends in GOP. Stop mocking GOProud and help make their voices more influential than NOM.

The only reason to diss LGBT GOP groups is if you put your partisanship ahead of your own interests.